Friday Follies...

The end of another week, and a week that has seen it's share of intrigue, mayhem, and sadness.
(more on those in a bit)
If you liked yesterday's weather conditions (and I can't imagine anyone who DID), then today will be following along in similar fashion.
Our Hoosierland weather for today will bring us partly cloudy skies, a high up around 88 degrees again, and the typical humidity that accompanies it. And yes, we will have a chance for afternoon and evening showers.
I can think of better ruts to be in.
Now, what say we all get ourselves that refreshing cup or glass of Friday Fortitude poured as we see to this day and all that it may have to offer us, hmm?
*** First off of the reading lamp is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
July 8 -
---Today is NATIONAL CHOCOLATE WITH ALMONDS DAY.

(okay anyone for an Almond Joy or some Moose Tracks?)
---It's also COLLECTOR CAR APPRECIATION DAY

(wonder if the Firebird qualifies yet?)
*** And since we're at week's end, let's see what will transpire over the following 48 hours...
July 9 -
---Saturday is NATIONAL SUGAR COOKIE DAY

(Pass the milk, and make it cold)
July 10 -
---Sunday is NATIONAL CLERIHEW DAY

(has to do with poetry - google it)
---And, it's NATIONAL PINA COLADA DAY

(Never a bad day for one in my opinion)
And, there we are...not that many this week, but a few good ones nonetheless. Have fun with them.
*** Next up, a terrible scene unfolded last evening in Dallas, TX, as a sniper took to shooting at police, killing five officers and wounding another six.

Two civilians were also struck, one being hit in the leg.
Here's the latest updates to this story:
http://www.fox4news.com/news/171359952-story

I tuned into this right after O'Reilly, and I was stunned. Officers were crouched behind the doors of their cruisers in the downtown area. I figured it had to be an active-shooter scenario, but I didn't know there was the possibility of MULTIPLE gunmen.
I wonder how long before the libtards start blaming the GUNS involved, rather than the PEOPLE?

I'm also wondering if this is a terrorist attack OR a response to the police shootings of  2 black males earlier this week in Baton Rouge and Minneapolis?
UPDATE: Looks like we have a partial answer.
Here's one (of many) links to source stories:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3680988/Pictured-Micah-Xavier-Johnson-25-year-old-shot-12-cops-Dallas-Black-Lives-Matter-protest-killing-five-saying-wanted-kill-white-people-especially-white-officers.html
Micah Xavier Johnson, 25, was the shooter who "wanted to kill white cops and white people".

Army reserves need to answer a few questions.

Well, there's one way to screw over race-relations in America.
In any event, I think what's needed now is some calm as the details to ALL these events unfold, and we find out all the FACTS to each instance.
But, you can rest assured that our "Whiner-in-Chief" will be out front of this (as he tries to screw up Poland), decrying assault guns, high-powered weapons, and the like, when he should be focusing in on the shooters and WHY they felt the need to unload at the LEOs in Dallas.

Discover where THEIR sympathies lie as they took the lives of those officers, and you'll get to the heart of the matter.
Moving on...
*** Next up, the new FWPD chief was named yesterday in a presser by our highness, "king" Henry (our mayor).

Here's the story:
http://wane.com/2016/07/07/tom-henry-to-name-next-police-chief/

Captain Stephen Reed, who was assistant chief (and no doubt covered for Garry a lot) will take the reins on the FWPD staring on 1 August (and in my opinion, it can't come soon enough).
Soon-to-be former chief, Garry Hamilton will stay on as the new captain of the (recently-created) Community Relations division.
Reed is a 23-year vet of the department and has some good credentials behind him.
He also wants to revamp the website for the FWPD and make it over so that citizens can report criminal activity.

Here's an idea - bring BACK the police radio scanner online, so we can listen in and actually AID law-enforcement once again. The whole reason we were told that the police radio "went away" was so the CRIMINALS couldn't listen in.
And ever SINCE we citizens had "no ears" to speak of, crime has been ON...THE...RISE.
So, how EXACTLY has that been working out for everyone? Short answer: NOT that great.
INFORMED citizens can (and will) help the police. That's a given.
*** Next up, I watched Congress speak to FBI director Comey yesterday (C-SPAN), and all I can say is that he's pretty good as dodging the facts and practicing a double standard when it comes to prosecutorial procedures.

I promise to cover for Clinton

(sounds a lot like our own "blonde phantom", aka Karen Richards)
Representatives Jason Chaffetz and Trey Goudy did a masterful job of asking GOOD questions of the director, only to have him repsond with ambiguous answers, Sounds too familiar.

I know Trey, listening to this guy hurts MY brain, too.

When you stop to consider what Gen. Petraeus was slapped with (a fine and probationary period) for his similar "indiscretions", and then look at what Hillary Clinton got away with with apparently NO rebuke at all, something is totally FUBAR here when it comes to jurisprudence interpretation.
*** Next, Fort Wayne begins it's THREE RIVERS FESTIVAL today (and I believe it runs through the 16th of July).

((yawn))
We still have our own THREE GHETTO FESTIVAL down here, and that goes on ALL freaking year.

In years past, I've described all the events and people that cause all the "frivolity" we have to put up with...I mean "enjoy".
If you have some time to kill, search the archives here (upper left hand box) and type in "three rivers festival".
From there, you will find (at least) SIX years of all that takes place down here while normal people (for the most part) take in the 3 RIVERS festival uptown near the downtown in our town.
*** Next up, Wifey discovered a new "friend" in our garden.
And it's one I haven't seen in more than a couple years.
It's a POLYPHEMUS MOTH.

This critter is about 5 inches wide (with wings extended)...yeah,  it's a biggun...lol.
It's been hanging out in our lemon thyme patch by the back fence since yesterday afternoon.
I checked this morning, and it's gone.
It was a one-day, one-shot deal.
Probably just passing through.
Pretty cool. Now, if only we had some swallowtails or monarchs stop by...
*** Next, this Riverfront development juggernaut chugs along with residents seeing all the "pretty pictures".
Here's the story:
http://www.21alive.com/news/local/New-designs-for-riverfront-development-unveiled-to-the-public-385950131.html

Cripes, looks like something from LOGAN'S RUN.

This is the SAME project that will cost TWICE as much as originally stated...(expect that number to rise even higher).
This good old boy network wants THEIR projects ram-rodded down our throats JUST so they can have feathers in their hats. All the while, the residents will be saddled with the costs.
And all these projects do is serve the interests of those running the show.
Call this one "Costaplenty Square Three".
--Parkview Field - cost $30.6 MIL (could have updated the 13-year old existing ball-field for around $10 MIL).
--Ash Brokerage - final cost yet to be revealed.

Now, it's the Riverfront.
And how does that help the "distressed" part of our city?
I musta missed that part of the obfuscation.
Since Fort Wayne has been around since 1794, incorporated as a town in 1829, and as a city in 1840, you'd think SOMEONE would have come along and developed the riverfront already.
But NO...and why was that, precisely? Maybe it would have been a waste of money and resources?
People had ALL that time and now, all of a sudden BAM,  we have to build up the riverfront.  
It's not about progress for all residents any longer with this...it's about personal legacies for a select few. You just sit back and watch.
*** Last back to the campfire...America is more divided than any of us care to admit.

There, I said it, now prove me wrong.
And our divisions are many. No longer can we pass it off to racial or religious divisions.    
Every race and religion is becoming divided within itself, as well as through gender (this neutrality factor), social class, economic class (especially THAT one), and political affiliation. And that's just the short list.  
Every division impacts upon the others, make no mistake.  
And perhaps that's a big reason why we have so much aggression (micro and otherwise) pent up inside.
I know the one thing that pisses me off is STUPIDITY...period.    
And that runs the gamut of ALL the divisions I mentioned earlier. It actually makes it easier to delineate the wheat from the chaff, as it were.
As we become divided as a people, and as a nation, our attention has been diverted to other aspects of societal behaviors, be they found in the media or through technology. I say it's a combination of both.
It's the old "Bread and Circuses" routine, and too many of us have fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.  
Keep the people DISTRACTED, and those in power can get away with whatever they damn well please.
By the time the people catch on, it'll be too damn late for them to do anything but go along.
Sound about right?

Abe Lincoln  said that "A house divided against itself cannot stand", and that applies to our nation as well as individual homes. How can we stand when all this crap is going on around us?
Well, if we root ourselves in a Godly foundation, it'll be hard to move us, and if we build upon that foundation of solid ground using the proper materials, we gain even more strength.
If we turn from a moral stance, we WILL reap what we sow.
The evidence is already clear on that.
But, if we turn back TO a morality-based society, we can reclaim all that we have lost as a people...and as a nation.
Now THERE is something to think about.
Do have yourselves a good weekend.

Be well, make a difference to someone today, and as always...
Stay SAFE out there, America.